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After a uranium fuel rod reaches the end of its fuel cycle why does most of its energy come from plutonium fission?
Initially for new fuel made from uranium enriched to about 5 percent U-235, all the fission energy comes from the U-235, the U-238 plays almost no part in this. As power production proceeds, the U-235 gets used up, we say burnt up though don't imagine it is like fossil fuel burning. In the same time period the U-238 is capturing some neutrons and some of it is transmuted to Pu-239 which is also fissile and therefore starts to produce some power. Thus as one fissile component, the U-235, is burnt up, the other one, the Pu-239 increases. Eventually, despite the Pu formation, the fuel just does not have enough fissile material to support the chain reaction, and it has to be discharged and replaced with new fuel. This is done on a part reactor basis, ie you might replace one quarter of the fuel assemblies every two years, for example (don't take that as applying in all cases). The decision on this depends on many factors but some physics calculations have to be run to advise the locations to be changed.
What else can I help you with?
What Metal used in nuclear reactions?
Nuclear energy appears as heat in a nuclear reactor. It comes from the fission of uranium or plutonium
Why do you use uranium and plutonium in the reactor?
Uranium and plutonium are used in reactors because they are fissile materials that can undergo nuclear fission, releasing a large amount of energy. This energy is harnessed to generate electricity in nuclear power plants.
How do uranium and plutonium provide heat energy?
Uranium and plutonium provide heat energy through a process called nuclear fission, in which the nucleus of an atom is split into smaller fragments, releasing a significant amount of energy in the form of heat. This heat is then used to generate steam, which drives turbines connected to generators to produce electricity.
How do you use uranium and plutonium to generate electricity?
Under nuclear fission with thermal neutrons uranium release an enormous quantity of energy (202,5 MeV per one atom of 235U); the obtained heat is converted in electricity. The same answer for plutonium (excepting the energy per fission).
Element used in fission?
Usually uranium with various U-235 percentages.
Energy resource that is based on fission?
uranium and plutonium
How does nuclear energy originate?
In a fission reactor, it originates from the fission of uranium 235 or plutonium 239
Which form of energy is released by uranium and plutonium in an atomic reactor?
This is the formidable energy of the nuclear fission.
What is the direct source of energy?
In fission reactors, which is the only practicable source of energy at present, it is the fission of the nuclei of uranium and plutonium which produces the energy
What Metal used in nuclear reactions?
Nuclear energy appears as heat in a nuclear reactor. It comes from the fission of uranium or plutonium
What is the direct source of nuclear energy?
In fission reactors, which is the only practicable source of energy at present, it is the fission of the nuclei of uranium and plutonium which produces the energy
How is nuclear energy produced from uranium and plutonium?
The fission energy is transformed in heat and heat is transformed in electricity.
What is nuclear weapons in which enormous energy is release by nuclear fission?
Fission bombs. They use one or more of 3 fuels: Uranium-233, Uranium-235, or Plutonium-239.
Why do you use uranium and plutonium in the reactor?
Uranium and plutonium are used in reactors because they are fissile materials that can undergo nuclear fission, releasing a large amount of energy. This energy is harnessed to generate electricity in nuclear power plants.
Was plutonium used in nuclear weaponry?
Yes, plutonium IS used in nuclear weaponry it is one of the two fission fuels (the other is enriched uranium) that provide the energy for the explosion. Traditionally plutonium has been the prefered fission fuel, as it is less expensive to manufacture in quantity with nuclear reactors than is enriching uranium and also has a lower critical mass than enriched uranium. However because plutonium is manufactured in reactors it is "contaminated" with heavier plutonium isotopes that have high rates of spontaneous fission and are more radioactive, making it unsuitable for a few bomb designs for which enriched uranium must be used.
Is plutonium produced by the fission of uranium?
Plutonium is a completely different chemical element. It has the chemical symbol Pu and the atomic number 94 (meaning there are 94 protons in its nucleus), and all of its isotopes are radioactive. A link is provided to the Wikipedia article on Plutonium.
How do uranium and plutonium provide heat energy?
Uranium and plutonium provide heat energy through a process called nuclear fission, in which the nucleus of an atom is split into smaller fragments, releasing a significant amount of energy in the form of heat. This heat is then used to generate steam, which drives turbines connected to generators to produce electricity.
